The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Buba Marwa, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace skills acquisition and empowerment programmes as a practical safeguard against substance abuse and other social vices.
Marwa gave the charge while speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the launch of a youth empowerment and skills acquisition programme organised by Grassroots Bridge Builders, held in Abuja on Thursday, 5 February 2026.
In a statement issued by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa expressed delight that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, skills development, job creation, and social inclusion.
“Training and empowering 10,000 young Nigerians through practical skills is not just an NGO activity; it is direct support to government efforts, complementing national programmes aimed at reducing unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, and general crime,” Marwa said. He added that initiatives like that of Grassroots Bridge Builders “deserve national applause.”
According to him, the programme goes beyond charity, describing it as “capacity building, character development, future protection, and prevention from drug abuse and its attendant consequences on our youth and the larger society.”
The NDLEA boss stressed that government alone cannot solve all societal challenges, noting that the fight against drug abuse and related crimes requires collective action. He called on NGOs, civil society groups, faith-based organisations, community leaders, the private sector, and well-meaning Nigerians to replicate and support similar initiatives nationwide.
Marwa also encouraged stakeholders to partner with NDLEA in designing and implementing programmes that provide youths with skills, dignity, purpose, and a sense of belonging, emphasizing that prevention works best through collaboration between communities, organisations, and government.
Addressing the youths directly, he said: “You are not a problem to be managed; you are a solution to be empowered. Your talents, creativity, and resilience are needed to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Nigeria. Embrace opportunities like this, stay away from drugs, and invest in yourselves and the country.”
He congratulated Grassroots Bridge Builders for demonstrating that youth empowerment remains the most sustainable path to securing Nigeria’s future, assuring continued NDLEA support for genuine, non-partisan initiatives that promote skills acquisition, youth development, and drug-free communities in line with national objectives.
